According to My Plan
by Imaginary-Warrior
Summary: She was just hunting with her brother until he came along. Dean Winchester has an uncanny way of turning life upside down, especially for the girl whose got it all figured out. Rated for future chapters. Dean/OC
1. Safety First

A/N: Hello, my dear readers. Please take a seat and be ready to enter a land of mystery, angst, and romance. In all seriousness, this a birthday gift for my best friend JaidexTrippy. I hope the story is liked and reviews are always welcome. Flames are not nice to burn me with, but should you have a problem; I'd like a respectful review with constructive criticism. Thank you very much. Let us ride off and read the story (oh, and this is 4th season)!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural nor do I get money from this story. I also don't own actors, characters, sets, costumes, etc. I do, however, own my OCs so please don't use them without my permission.**

**Chapter 1: Safety First **

A young woman and man walked quietly through the warehouse with their weapons held high. She had a gun in one hand and the knife in the other while her eyes carefully scanned the area. Her companion walked behind her, covering her back. She winced when he tripped and knocked down a box filled with glass items. The crash echoed in the silence. "Simon," she hissed, "if you knock over one more thing: forget killing the werewolf because I will kill you!"

The man, Simon as he was called, rolled his eyes, "This isn't the first time you've issued that threat. Can't you come up with more original stuff?"

"Quiet!" The woman and Simon instantly froze and hid behind another pile of boxes as they heard their prey eating. She peered around the corner to see the werewolf completely occupied with dessert—a boy who couldn't have been older than 15 years. Swallowing her bile of disgust, the woman raised her gun loaded with silver bullets and aimed at the werewolf. She whistled.

The werewolf was on alert; looking for the possible threat. His unnatural blue eyes focused in on the girl. Saliva dripped from his mouth at the thought of fresh meat. The boy was good, but girls were always more tender. The werewolf began running at the new dish before something hard ripped through his sides.

The woman gasped softly as she saw the werewolf drop on his side. She didn't shoot him. "Who's there?" She called while standing up and cautiously looking around.

"Well, most people say I'm just a really good looking guy," a deep voice came from behind her.

She immediately turned around and pointed her gun to the guy's heart.

He raised his arms up in surrender and smirked at her, "I love a woman who takes charge."

"I hate a man who gets in the way of my job," she growled. She was as pissed as hell, but the at least the guy was attractive. He was taller than her by eight or nine inches with very muscular body and spiking hair. His hazel eyes glowed with mischief, lust, and adrenaline. Chiseled features had always attracted her. She was a healthy woman who could appreciate the view, but that wouldn't get in her way. "Who are you?"

"Dean," said the guy.

"Dean what?"

"Dean Winchester…my brother Sam is somewhere around here too."

"Winchester? As in the guy who went to hell?"

Dean's eyebrows travelled up his forehead, "You've heard of us."

"Who hasn't? You're stupidity is legendary."

"If you're so damn smart, then who are you?" Dean growled. He did not like being called stupid, especially by some stranger.

"Ruth Connor," she replied. Ruth froze as she heard the safety of a gun being taken off next to her ear.

"I would appreciate it if you would take your gun away from my brother." It could only have been Sam Winchester.

"And I would appreciate it if you would take _your_ gun away from my sister," Simon said, coming behind Sam with a gun.

Ruth smirked at Dean, but her words were to Simon, "You certainly took your sweet time."

"I was waiting for him to move. You don't usually get one Winchester without the other," said Simon.

"Who the hell are you?" Dean asked.

"Simon," said Simon. "Now why don't we all put down our guns and play nicely like good children, before the cops come and blame us for these deaths?" Simon and Sam lowered their guns, but Ruth hesitated a moment before following their lead. "So…you guys used silver bullets, right?"

Dean looked deeply offended by the question, but Sam answered, "Yeah, we did. We know what we're doing."

"I don't understand. How are you back from hell?"

"I don't know," said Dean. "How do you know I went to hell?"

"It wasn't that big of a secret, but Bobby Singer told us," said Simon.

"You know Bobby?" Sam asked.

"No, Bobby just decided to spill his guts to two total strangers," Ruth said sarcastically. She grunted as Simon elbowed her ribs.

"Please excuse my sister. She doesn't know how to play nicely with others."

"We can see that," said Dean.

Simon covered Ruth's mouth with his hand as she made to reply. Ruth glared at her brother and bit him until he let her go. "We should go," said Simon. "There are other jobs out there."

"What about the boy's parents? I mean…shouldn't we tell them something happened or give the body to them?" Ruth asked.

"Do you think they'll want to see their boy torn to pieces and missing his heart?"

"It's better than not knowing."

"Great! She's got the puppy eyes like you!" Dean complained to his brother.

"We'll burn the body," said Simon. "We'll give him a funeral."

Ruth's eyes darted to the werewolf when she heard growling. He was running right for Dean. "Look out!" She pushed Dean away and the werewolf pounced on her. Shoving her right arm against his throat, Ruth made a desperate attempt to keep him from biting her. His sharp claws went down her left arm, leaving a trail of distorted skin and oozing blood, making Ruth cry out in pain. Shots from a gun rang out and the werewolf fell on her. Simon and Sam pushed him off and helped her up before Dean used his entire clip in the monster. Ruth cradled her arm to her chest while Simon inspected it.

"You're such a moron, Ruth," he told her.

"Brat."

"Loser."

"Poser."

"Jerk."

"Idiot."

"ENOUGH!" Dean yelled over the two bickering siblings. "Bobby's place isn't far from here. Let's take you there."

"What about all of this?" Simon asked, gesturing around the warehouse.

"You and Sam take care of it. I'll take Ruth to Bobby," said Dean.

"I can drive," said Ruth.

All three men looked at her incredulously.

"I have one good arm," Ruth muttered.

"Ruth, just go with the nice man you felt the need to save," said Simon.

"Fine," said Ruth. She noticed Sam coming to the scene with salt and gasoline. When had he left? Sam handed Simon the gasoline and began pouring the salt on the bodies. Feeling a hand on the small of her back, Ruth was startled to see Dean by her. He gave her the look that said they should leave. Ruth nodded and let Dean walk her outside.

"Here's my baby," Dean said proudly.

"A '67 Chevy Impala…I'm impressed," said Ruth.

"You know cars?" Dean unlocked the door and opened it for Ruth. When she was settled, he closed the door for her and got in the car behind the wheel.

"I know some cars, but not all," said Ruth. "I only know about Impalas because my dad's been talking about getting one since I was a kid."

Dean started the car and handed Ruth a shirt from the backseat before pulling onto the road to head for Bobby's.

"I think Bobby's place is the other way," Ruth said after a few moments of silence. Seeing the unfamiliar settings, Ruth began doubting Dean's internal GPS. She wrapped the shirt around her arm and looked at Dean.

"We're going the right way," he told her confidently.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"I'm not so sure."

"That's your problem."

"Yes, it is my problem. You know why? BECAUSE I'M THE ONE BLEEDING PROFUSELY HERE!"

"You're being a wimp."

"Dean."

"What?"

"That sign just said heading to Nebraska. Bobby's house is in the other direction."

"I know a short cut in this direction."

"Bobby lives in South Dakota, we are in South Dakota, and I would like to stay in South Dakota!" Ruth exclaimed.

"Can't you just faint from blood loss and leave me in peace?"

"Obviously not since we're going the wrong way."

Dean took an unexpected turn and looked at Ruth's paling form. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"For pushing me away from the werewolf. You didn't have to do that," said Dean.

Ruth shrugged her shoulder on the good arm, "You just got back from hell. I didn't see the point in sending you back. You two Winchester boys just don't die, do you?"

Dean chuckled, "No, not really." They spent the rest of the ride in a comfortable silence and in no time they were at Bobby's house.

Ruth looked at Dean in surprise.

"What? I told you I knew a short cut.

She shook her head, "Unbelievable."

"If you think that's something, you should see me in bed," Dean replied, winking at her. He turned off the car and got out to help Ruth. She managed to the get the door opened, but Dean shut it for her to save time. He wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her from falling to the ground as she stumbled. "Are you always this clumsy?"

"Give me a break! I can't help Bobby has crap all over the place," said Ruth. "Simon is the one who is really clumsy." They reached the porch and Dean pounded on the door.

"HOLD YOUR DAMN HORSES! I'M COMING!" A rough voice yelled from the inside of the house. Bobby whipped his door open and raised his eyebrows as he saw Dean's arm around Ruth's waist. He then looked to Ruth's arm. "What the hell have you done now?"

"Saved Dean's ass by pushing him out of the way of a werewolf," said Ruth.

Bobby rolled his eyes, "Well get in here." Ushering them inside, Bobby shut the door and pulled Ruth to his dining room table. "Sit down," Bobby said, pulling a chair out for her.

Ruth followed orders and waited for Dean who went to get the first aid kit. Bobby sat in the adjacent chair from her and pulled the shirt off as gently as possible. Ruth hissed when he touched the scratches.

"You need stitches," said Bobby.

"Thanks, I had no idea."

"Don't get smart with me. Did the thing get in you?"

"Excuse me?" Ruth asked, not liking his wording.

"Blood, slobber, etcetera; did the werewolf get any of its DNA in you?"

"No."

Dean came back and handed the kit to Bobby who opened it up and began cleaning Ruth's wounds. "Bobby, did you find anything about what might have brought me back?"

"I've got nothing. I don't know what brought you back," said Bobby.

"That's great," Dean said sarcastically.

"Don't get your panties in a twist. Just because _I_ don't know doesn't mean I don't know someone who might," Bobby growled back.

"You're into wearing panties?" Ruth asked Dean.

Both men looked at her oddly.

"What?"

"It's an expression. What the hell is wrong with you? You're the smart one," said Bobby.

"Gee, thanks," said Simon. He and Sam filed into the dining room and watched Bobby work on Ruth's arm.

"Dean seems like he's into that sort of kinky thing," said Ruth.

"What are you guys talking about?" Sam asked.

"Bobby thinks he knows someone who can answer our mystery," said Dean.

"Who?"

"She's a psychic named Pamela Barnes. Don't give me that look. She's the real deal. If anyone can find out who your secret admirer is; it's her," said Bobby.

"She does know what she's doing, "said Ruth. "We've gone to her a few times and she was always right."

The Winchester brothers looked at each other and shrugged. "It's worth a shot," said Sam. He noticed Bobby finishing the stitching on Ruth's arm. "Will she be alright?"

Ruth answered, "Of course I'll be alright. I've had much worse. Like there was this one time I was hunting a vampire and—"

"No one wants to know, Ruth," said Simon.

"Hey, I killed a vampire even with my leg broken. I'm allowed to be proud of that achievement," said Ruth. She got from the table and kissed Bobby's cheek, "Thank you very much for your excellent care." Ruth turned to Simon. "I guess we should be going."

"You're not gonna stick around for a few days?" Bobby asked.

"Can't," Ruth replied regretfully. "I promised mom we would visit, but don't worry. We'll come back up to see you really soon."

"I'll hold you to that," said Bobby.

"You can count on us. Well, see you guys," said Simon. "Dean, Sam; it was nice meeting you guys." He shook their hands and waited for Ruth to say her good-byes.

She hugged Bobby and shook the brothers' hands. "Guess we'll see you guys around. Oh, thanks for driving me here, Dean."

They made way to leave when Dean said, "Wait!"

Ruth and Simon turned around to face Dean.

"Since we…you know…hunt…maybe we should have each other's numbers. In case we need help or something," said Dean. He had to try very hard not to stare at Ruth while saying this.

"Uh…sure," said Ruth. "That actually sounds like a good idea."

"You don't have to sound so shocked."

"Can you really blame me?" Ruth teased. She took her phone and exchanged phones with Dean. After putting her number and Simon's in, Ruth handed his phone back to Dean. She took her phone back and noticed, "You put yourself on speed dial?"

Dean shrugged, "People say I'm handy in a tight spot." There was something about the girl that made her…attractive to him. Ruth was a short thing with pale skin and long, black hair that had red highlights in it. Her sharp, green eyes were intense and those pink lips were full and looked kissable. What? He was a healthy, heterosexual man. What was wrong with being attracted to her…other than that Simon guy? After another rounds of good-byes, Simon and Ruth finally left the house in their car.

Bobby went to talk more about Pamela, but Dean interrupted, "What's the deal with Simon and Ruth? Are they together or something?"

"They're not into incest, Dean," Sam chuckled. "They're brother and sister—Simon and Ruth Connor."

"Oh no," said Bobby. "You like her, don't you?"

"She's cute…and I think nose rings are pretty badass," said Dean.

"Dean, I usually don't care about your girls, but I like Ruth. She's family to me and if you hurt her in any way I will shove my foot up your ass so hard you will never even think about walking again, let alone having sex," said Bobby.

Dean looked at Bobby in shock before taking a few steps away from him. "It's just a crush, Bobby. Nothing will come from it." However, that wasn't what Dean really wanted.

Bobby had a hard time believing him too, "Sure."

"Come on, you know me, safety first." Dean then changed the subject to Pamela Barnes and tried to forget about the girl who was driving farther and farther away from him.


	2. Meet Again

A/N: Howdy! I hope you like the story and I will try very hard to update on a regular basis. Please keep in mind that I have musical at my school and I'm a manager so that will take up a lot of my time. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the show…story.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural. If I did, I would not be writing fanfiction.**

**Chapter 2: Meet Again**

"Do we really need to visit?" Ruth asked, her voice whiney. To say the least; visiting her family wasn't the highlight of life. Don't get her wrong. She loves her family, but if her mother tells her one more time that she needs a husband…there would be blood.

"We haven't seen them since mom's birthday. Have a heart. We have to go visit," said Simon.

"I don't need the lecture as to why I need a man again," said Ruth.

"You could always tell her about Dean Winchester," Simon replied while waggling his eyebrows at her.

Ruth gave him a look, "What is there to tell about Dean Winchester? Oh, hey, mom; I saved some idiot from a werewolf and got my arm torn up in the process. She'd never let me hunt again."

"I'm surprised she let you do it in the first place."

"That monster needed to die," said Ruth. Her voice was quiet with the unspoken memory of past horrors. "She knew how important it was to me."

"Hey, that was four years ago," said Simon. "It was never your fault."

"I don't want to talk about it anymore," said Ruth.

"Fine…oh shit!"

"What?"

"I left Eve's present back at Olivia's place," said Simon.

"At least she doesn't live that far away," said Ruth.

"Yeah, but it'll be really awkward."

"You slept with her again, didn't you?"

"Can you blame me?" Simon asked with a shrug of his shoulders.

"I blame you all the time. Why did you sleep with her? You know only bad things can ensue from that. One of you thinks it's a relationship while the other is casual at different times and you're always fighting and, frankly, I don't see how she finds you attractive enough to sleep with," said Ruth. "Though, now that I think of it, the lights are probably off."

"Brat."

"Slut." Ruth smiled as Simon glared at the road. After some time they reached Olivia's house. They met her when they had first started hunting. Bobby sent them to her for "proper training" and so she taught them everything she knew. Eventually, they went off on their own, but they always made sure to keep in touch with Olivia. The brother and sister got out of their Mustang and went to the door. Ruth knocked, "Olivia? It's Simon and me. Open up."

There was no answer.

Simon knocked, but louder, "Olivia? Hey, Olivia!"

There was still no answer.

The siblings shared an uneasy glance before drawing out their hand guns. Simon put his hand on the doorknob and was surprised when it opened. Olivia never left her door unlocked. As quietly as possible, he opened the door. They entered the home that was messy and broken like someone had attacked their fellow hunter. "Olivia?" Ruth called softly. She and Simon had separated to look for Olivia.

"RUTH!" Simon yelled.

Ruth sprinted to her brother's cry, but froze as she reached her destination. Olivia was on the floor; her body lifeless. "Who could've done this? I didn't know her to have any enemies."

"I don't know," said Simon. He shrugged his shoulders and looked around at everything in a disconnected way. "She's got messages."

Ruth spared her brother a concerned look before pressing play. The messages were from Bobby who obviously knew that something was going on. Ruth kept her eyes on the surroundings while Simon focused on the messages. When they were done, the siblings shared a moment of silence before going back to their 1967 black Mustang. "I'm not sure if we should go home. There's obviously a job here."

"Bobby and the Winchesters got it covered," said Simon. "I just want to go home and check on our family."

"Bobby is a part of the family too."

"BOBBY CAN DEFEND HIMSELF! EVE, MOM, AND DAD CAN'T!" Simon yelled furiously. "I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEM. DO YOU JUST NOT LONGER CARE BECAUSE YOU'RE TIRED OF GETTIGN A DAMN SPEECH? IT'S BETTER THAN NOTHING!"

Ruth was shocked into silence and wasn't sure how to act. Simon's anger could leave quickly or fester until he lashes out. Then when he did outbursts no one could know which way his anger would go. It was unsettling to say the least.

He sighed and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. We'll just go home," said Ruth. _Miss Independent_ by Kelly Clarkson rang out through the air. Ruth quickly got out her phone and checked the caller ID. "It's Dean Winchester."

"Go ahead and answer," said Simon.

Ruth did, "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," said Dean.

"Thanks. I wouldn't have figured it out. That caller ID feature is so useless," Ruth replied sarcastically.

"Would you cut the crap right now? We've got a problem here."

"What is it?"

"Something is killing hunters," Dean said gravely. "We've been calling around and a lot of people won't answer. Even Olivia won't answer."

"We know. Olivia is dead. We're at her house," said Ruth.

"Get the hell out of there!" Dean exclaimed. "Come back to Bobby's. He knows what this thing is about."

"Hold on." Ruth lowered the phone and said to Simon quietly, "They want us back at Bobby's place. They need help to get rid of whatever this thing is."

Simon started the car and put it in drive, "Then we're going to help them."

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With Simon's speeding, they reached Bobby's in a few hours. Dean was waiting for them outside with a gun aimed at any noise that startled him. Simon and Ruth got out of the car with slight hesitation. "Where the hell are your guns?" Dean asked.

"In the trunk," said Ruth.

Simon walked around to get them the guns. He came back around and handed Ruth a shotgun and extra rounds. "What's going on?"

"Just get in the house," said Dean.

"I don't take orders," Ruth growled.

"Ruth…please," said Dean. He looked so earnest that Ruth was taken aback from a moment.

"RUTH!" Simon yelled.

Ruth's head whipped to him and then to where he was looking. She gave a yell as she saw someone who was meant to be dead. A little boy was staring up at Ruth with hateful eyes. Suddenly, a shot was heard and the little boy was gone. Ruth turned her gaze to Dean who was holding the smoking gun. "What have you guys done?"

"It's a sign of the apocalypse," said Dean. He walked into the house without explaining.

"Hold your damn horses," said Simon. "What do you mean this is a sign of the apocalypse?"

"It's the Witnesses," Ruth said suddenly. "The people we couldn't save…they're coming back for revenge."

Dean and Simon looked at her incredulously. "What is wrong with you?" Simon asked.

"I'm hunter. I know weird things," said Ruth, shrugging. "The true question is what are we going to do about it?"

"Bobby's working on it," said Sam, joining in on the conversation. He shook hands with the Connor siblings. "Come on, he's got a panic room down stairs." The Connors followed the Winchesters to Bobby's panic room where the man was reading quickly.

"Found anything yet?" Simon asked.

"There is one spell and I've got everything we need," said Bobby.

"Where's the 'but' coming in?"

Ruth chuckled humorlessly, "All the stuff we need isn't in the room, is it?"

"Nope," Bobby answered.

"Well, it looks like we're going scavenger hunting," said Ruth. "So, what do you need and where is it located?" She combed her hair back with her fingers to put it up into a ponytail as Bobby told them everything needed.

"Alright, let's get a move on," said Simon. "We'll need to separate."

"That might not be a good idea. We all get affected by the spirits. They might get the better of us," said Sam.

"It'll take too long if we team up. Those spirits are what we're hunting now. There's no need to feel anything for them," said Ruth. She was going over her various weapons as Sam stared at her in shock. "What, Sam?"

"How can you be so…cold about this?"

"Practice. I'm going upstairs. See you boys in a bit."

The guys watched her walked off and flinched when they already heard her shoot someone.

"ARE YOU JUST GOING TO SIT THERE AND MAKE ME DO ALL THE WORK?" Ruth shouted to them. Pulling out of their stupor, the rest of the hunters left the safety of the panic room to gather the ingredients. Dean also travelled upstairs to find Ruth looking around. She kept her still injured arm as close to her body as possible. "You didn't have to come check on me," said Ruth.

"What makes you so sure that I am?" He pulled out a bag and grabbed everything Bobby told him to get. Looking behind Ruth, Dean's eyes widened at the spirit of a girl a few years younger than Ruth. "RUTH!"

She whipped around to stare at the spirit smirking at her, "Amanda."

"Hey…_bestie_," said Amanda. "I see you moved on with life. It must be great to get to live and flirt with cute guys and all that good stuff. Who cares that you let your best friend get killed?"

"I didn't do anything to you, you little bitch," Ruth growled. She shot Amanda through the heart and tried to calm her heavy breathing.

"Ruth? Who was she?"

"The reason I started hunting," said Ruth. She gave an involuntary shiver and turned to face Dean. "Did you get everything?"

"Yeah," said Dean.

"Dean!" Ruth yelled. She shot the black man in a FBI uniform who was ready to attack Dean. "We have to go. I think that was my last round." Ruth and Dean ran down stairs and into the circle of salt that Simon had the brilliant idea of making. Sam and Simon were shooting furiously, trying to clear a path for Ruth and Dean. The two reached the circle and helped warding off the spirits that seemed to multiply. Ruth, who was out of ammo, used the iron rod Bobby had out to cut down the spirits.

Dean and Bobby were yelling something, but Ruth couldn't pay them any attention. She was too focused on the spirits trying to kill them. Suddenly, they were gone. The spirits vanished into thin air. The five hunters gave a collective sigh of relief.

"Is that it?" Simon asked. "Are they gone?"

"Yeah, they're gone," said Bobby.

Ruth sat down on the floor when something finally registered to her. "You guys said this was a sign of the Apocalypse. Have you actually started the Apocalypse?"

"According to Castiel," said Dean.

"Who's Castiel?" Simon asked.

"He claims to be an angel of the Lord," said Sam.

Ruth looked at Dean, "Was Castiel the one who brought you up?"

He only nodded at her.

The group flinched as Ruth's cell phone rang. She got her phone out and groaned, "Hi, mom." She paused for a brief moment. "Yes, we're on our way. We might be a day or two late though." Another pause. "Because Simon and I had a job to take care of." Ruth pulled the phone away from her ear and everyone could hear Mrs. Abigail Connor.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAD A JOB? DOES THIS FAMILY MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU TWO ANYMORE? IT'S BAD ENOUGH I CAN'T EXPECT ANY GRANDCHILDREN. YOU WON'T EVEN GET A MAN!"

Ruth, sick of her mother's nagging, screamed, "I DO HAVE A MAN!" There was a pause as Mrs. Connor asked who the man was. "His name is…Dean. Dean Winchester. He's my boyfriend. We've been seeing each other for about three months."

Sam bit the inside of his cheek to keep from bursting out laughing at his brother's (and Simon's) incredulous expression. The two older brothers seemed to be having heart attacks at the thought of Ruth pretending Dean was her boyfriend. Mentally giving himself a note to thank Ruth for driving Dean crazy, Sam stood against the back wall and enjoyed the show with Bobby.

Dean, on the other hand, found no humor in the situation whatsoever. He furiously waved in front of Ruth's face and repeatedly mouthed 'no.'

Slapping his hands away, Ruth focused on what her mother was saying. "Yeah, he'll be coming with us to the family party. Is it okay if he also brings his brother? Okay, mom, I love you too." Ruth hung up the phone and cowered under the glare of Dean.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"You telling your mother that I'm your boyfriend. If you wanted a good boy to bring home to meet the parents then you should've asked Sammy!"

"Sam doesn't owe me a debt. I didn't save him from the werewolf," said Ruth.

"I didn't ask you to save me!" Dean exclaimed.

"Dean!" Ruth whined. "Have a heart! My mom is always telling me to get a man. For once, there is a man I can bring home and I don't have to hear the lecture of getting a man. It gets old after 27 years. Please?"

"No."

"Come on, Dean, please?" Ruth used the full power of her puppy dog eyes.

Dean tried to resist, but the eyes were too much. "Fine."

Ruth squealed, jumped up, and hugged him tightly. When she let him go, Ruth began doing her happy dance. She danced out the room and the boys watched her go.

"Hey, Ruth!" Simon called.

"What?"

"I think you're forgetting something."

Ruth came back into the room and gave her brother a puzzled look, "What am I forgetting?"

"You and Dean have been seeing each other for three months…and you know next to nothing about each other," said Simon.

"Which is why Sam will be riding with you on the way home and I'll be riding with Dean so we can get to know each other," said Ruth. "We should probably get going."

"Hold on, I'm not letting you ride with some guy we've just met," said Simon.

"I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. Besides, I've got all my knives if he tries anything," said Ruth.

Simon still looked uncertain, "I don't know…"

"Simon, if you didn't trust him, why did we come back when he called?" Ruth asked.

"Oh, fine, ride with him," said Simon. The younger group said good bye to Bobby and Dean and Ruth followed Simon and Sam.

The ride with Dean and Ruth started with an awkward silence. Neither one knew where to begin for the crash course of each other's lives. "Look," said Ruth, "why don't we start off with the basics?"

"Uh…yeah, okay. You can start," said Dean.

"Alright…my full name is Ruth Josephine Connor."

Dean chuckled, "Ruth Josephine Connor? That doesn't sound snotty at all."

"It's not like I chose it. What's your name since you're _so_ cool?"

"Dean Michael Winchester."

Ruth gave a snort, "Not as badass as I imagined."

"You think I'm a badass?" Dean glanced at Ruth to find her blushing.

"Maybe a little bit," said Ruth. "Anyways, my birthday is October thirteenth and I'm currently 27 years old. I've been hunting with Simon for four years and AC/DC is my favorite band."

Dean smirked and switched on his cassette player. AC/DC's _Back in Black_ blasted out the speakers. "Like it?" Dean yelled over the music.

"My favorite song!" It seemed to have broken the ice. Dean and Ruth comfortably began talking about themselves and were confident they could pull off the ruse. After the very long car ride, Dean and Ruth were excited to pull up into the driveway of a two story, pale yellow house with white shutters and a white wrap-around porch. It was in the middle of the country and so the Connor family had plenty of room to run about. The faux couple got out of the Impala as Simon and Sam filed out of the Mustang. Dean stared up at the house as Ruth came to his side and wrapped her arm around his waist. His automatic reply was to wrap an arm around her shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Let's do this thing," said Dean.

The four began walking up when they heard barking and two Dobermans ran from behind the house—being followed by three humans. Ruth broke away from Dean to pet the dogs (and to keep them from jumping all over Dean and Sam). Once the dogs began calming down, Ruth went back to Dean to wrap her arms around his waist as Sam played with the dogs.

Simon, however, ran to Mr. and Mrs. Connor and Eve. The brother picked up his youngest sister and spun her around like he did when they were little. As soon as Simon put Eve down, his parents pulled him into their arms. They all separated as Dean, Sam, and Ruth reached them.

Ruth uncomfortably looked at her family and said, "Hey."

Dean, sensing the tension, gave Ruth's shoulder a reassuring squeeze and pushed her forward to hug her family.

Ruth hugged them before looking back to Dean and Sam, "Mom, dad, Eve: this is Sam Winchester and my boyfriend Dean Winchester."

Ruth's mom stepped forward and looked Dean over, "I'm impressed. You got someone very cute, Ruth."

Ruth, unsure how to take the praise, said, "Thanks, mom."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Connor," Dean said respectfully. He held out his hand and was surprised when she hugged him.

"Please, call me Abigail," said Abigail. By this point, Ruth's father stepped forward to size Dean up. "This is my husband; Peter."

Peter held his hand out to Dean who shook it firmly. An awkward silence ensued as Peter continued glaring at Dean.

"Okay…this is really awkward," said Ruth. "Dad, stop glaring. Can we go eat or something?"

"That's a great idea," said Abigail. "Come on, Peter." Abigail led Peter away and the kids followed them. Sam, Eve, and Simon were talking about something ahead of Ruth and Dean.

Dean surprisingly pulled Ruth to his side, "Please never leave me again. I feel violated."

"Forgive my father. He's not as great with people as I am," said Ruth.

He laughed at her joke and sat next to her at the picnic table the Connors had set up near the grill. Abigail and Peter sat in chairs at the ends of the table as Simon, Eve, and Sam sat across from Ruth and Dean. Abigail looked around the table and found her victim.

"Dean?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Would you care to say grace for us?"

Ruth, seeing how uncomfortable Dean looked, said, "Mom, I'll say grace."

"No," said Dean. "It's fine." He turned to Abigail and smiled. "I'll say it."

Everyone bowed their heads and folded their hands in their laps.

"Uh…Lord, we would like to…thank you for the food we're about to have, the…company we're in, and ask for…safety in our future…journeys. Amen," said Dean.

"Amen," the rest quietly echoed.

"That was lovely, Dean," said Abigail.

"Thank you." Dean flashed Abigail another smile and turned to Ruth who was smiling at him. He leaned toward her and whispered in her ear, "Feel special. I've never prayed to impress a girl's parents before."

"Somehow, I'm not surprised," Ruth whispered in reply. They smiled at each other before joining in on the conversation of the table. Peter and Abigail began serving food and occasionally questioned Sam and Dean. For the most part, the dinner was fun. When it ended, all of them moved into the living room inside the house. The talked while eating the apple pie Abigail had just baked that morning. Ruth leaned against Dean's side on the loveseat with her legs tucked beneath her. On the floor, Sam was sitting in front of Ruth with Eve while Peter and Abigail took the couch and Simon sat in the leather chair that belonged to Peter's father.

"The food was good, mom," said Simon. "I forget what home cooked food tastes like sometimes."

"Then maybe you ought to visit more," said Abigail.

"We come as often as we can," said Ruth.

"Hey, Dean," said Peter.

"Yeah?"

"What do you and Sam do for a living?"

The room became silent and Dean could feel Ruth tense up.

"Sam and I hunt," said Dean.

"So much for hoping Simon and Ruth would get out of it," Abigail muttered.

Ruth rolled her eyes, "Mom, we've been through this. I'm not leaving the business."

"It's not a business. It's you and your brother playing with guns and almost getting yourselves killed."

"It's Simon and me saving people from things they don't know how to fight," said Ruth. "Can't we have this conversation another time? We have guests and these talks always end up the same."

"This is ridiculous," said Peter. "I can't believe this is how you're wasting your life."

"She's not wasting her life," Dean growled.

Everyone looked at him in surprise.

"Your daughter is saving people and you think that's ridiculous? She's making a sacrifice no one else can make and does it all with no thought to how she wants things to be. She's willing to give up the apple pie life so that no one else has to. If that doesn't make you proud of her, then I'm not sure anything will," said Dean. "Excuse me." He stood up and left the room.

"Dean!" Ruth called. After glowering at her father, Ruth scrambled to sit up and went after him. When she reached the outside, she found Dean sitting on the porch steps.

"I'm not apologizing," said Dean.

"I wasn't going to ask you to," said Ruth.

"Really?"

"Really. What you did was pretty cool. None of us really talk back to dad. We sort of just…take it and move on," said Ruth. She sat down next to Dean and bumped her shoulder with his. "You did good, kid." She looked up at the stars and sighed.

"What?"

"You talked about how Simon and I save people…we don't save everyone. You can't. It's not really possible. Yet, somehow, we always try to. Maybe we just like setting ourselves up for failure," said Ruth.

"Your friend Amanda?" Dean asked.

"She's the first one…and why I started hunting."

"What happened?"

Ruth shook her head, "I'm sorry. I can't talk about it with you…yet. I don't know you that well. Few people know about it and I hate talking about it. I will tell you about it someday. I promise."

"I get it," said Dean.

"You keep secrets too," said Ruth.

"Everyone does."

"I don't think most people have our type of secrets."

Dean placed his arm around Ruth's shoulders and pulled her to his side. "Sammy and I should leave soon."

"There's a cheap motel nine miles north of here," said Ruth. "It's called Wonderland. Don't ask me why. The owners are a bit…eccentric."

"You mean their crazy."

"Yeah, pretty much." The two shared a laugh before Simon and Sam walked out. Ruth and Dean separated and stood to face them. "I guess dad kicked you guys out."

"He would like us to leave," said Sam.

"I'm sorry about him. He doesn't always know the boundaries," said Ruth.

"No worries. We've been treated worse," said Sam.

"Thank you for relieving my guilt," Ruth replied.

"No problem. So…we'll see you guys later." Sam shook Simon's and Ruth's hands.

"Hopefully," said Simon. He saw that Dean and Ruth wanted a private good bye and walked Sam to the Impala.

"This is it. Thanks for being the best fake boyfriend ever," said Ruth.

"It was my pleasure. We should do it again sometime," said Dean.

Ruth smiled and blushed, "I'd like that." The two looked at each other before shaking hands.

When they let go, Dean nodded at her and walked to the Impala where Sam had already gotten in. Simon came back to the porch to join Ruth. They waved to the Winchesters who were already driving away.

"So…" Simon said.

"So…" Ruth repeated.

"Are you two, like, a thing?"

"No, Simon," said Ruth.

"Oh." Simon looked anywhere except for at Ruth and she noticed.

"What is with you? You've been acting weird all day."

"No I haven't," said Simon.

"Hey, I spend a _lot_ of time with you. I know you. When you start thinking about something seriously, you get really quiet until someone points it out and then you overcompensate with social skills. So what gives?"

"I've been thinking," said Simon. He didn't seem sure about how to continue.

"About?" Ruth prompted.

"Maybe mom and dad are right," said Simon.

"About what?"

"Maybe this isn't how we should spend our lives." Simon refused to look at his sister.

"What are you saying? Are you…giving up hunting?"

"Yes," said Simon. "I want the normal life. I want a wife and kids and I want to see mom and dad and Eve more often. I want the routine. I want the known."

"That has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard. You're never going to have the normal life, Simon. You've been hunting too long for it. You'll see faces in every shadow, wondering if someone from your past will come for you and your family. You'll always be on edge. You'll lock down your family and they will resent you for it. Simon, there is no way to have that anymore." Ruth looked at her brother with pleading eyes. "Besides, I need you. We've always hunted together. We're not good apart."

"Then why not get out with me?"

"You know I could never live that way."

"You don't know. You won't even try," said Simon. "Ruth, I want out. I'm sorry for leaving you, but I can't do this anymore."

"You suck…and I'm taking the Mustang," said Ruth.

"Fair deal," said Simon. "I'll clear my stuff out tomorrow. When are you leaving?"

"As soon as you clear your stuff out."

The two siblings stood in silence on the porch before going in for restless sleep. The next day Simon retrieved all of his possessions out of the Mustang and true to her word: Ruth left as soon as he was done, leaving her family behind again.


End file.
